Phonograph record



22, 1939. F. v. PAUL PHONOGRAPH RECORD Filed Oct. 12, 1938 INVENTOR. fiwizl VPazzZ 2W) ATTORNEY.

Patented Aug. 22, 1939 UNITED STATES i ATENT OFFICE Frank V. Paul, New York, N. Y. Application October 12, 1938, Serial No. 234,557

2 Claims.

This invention relates to phonograph records, such as used in dictating machines.

These cylindrical records, while being used, are rather roughly handled during their various uses, as dictation thereon, transcribing thereof, and during the shaving operation. In consequence of such handling, it frequently happen-s that the peripheral corners are chipped off, and the chipped off portions are of such an extent that they encroach on that portion of the surface normally used for dictation. Due to the nature of the compound from which the cylinders are made, the chipped off portions have a tendency to spread fan-shaped along the surface of the cylinder, thus rendering impossible a complete use of the available surface. Also, it frequently happens that the records are cracked longitudinally.

It has been proposed to make the cylindrical records by either molding the mass of which the cylinder is made upon an inner textile layer, or molding the mass so as to include the textile layer therewithin. While these and other methods have served to increase the life to some extent, nevertheless, these textile layers being mainly at the interior of the cylinders have not served to protect the outer surface, particularly at each end of the cylinder.

The object of the invention is to provide means for protecting the cylinders against chipping and cracking, and the invention consists in providing the ends of the cylinder with grooves spaced a short distance from the peripheral edges. The depth of the grooves is substantially equal to or slightly deeper than the amount of material shaved off during the life of such a cylinder. As a further embodiment of the invention, the remaining shoulder may be provided with a strengthening rib of a wire circumferentially arranged, or instead of a wire, a plate or ring, molded therein during the molding of the cylinder.

The invention will be more fully described hereinafter, and embodiments thereof shown in the drawing, and the invention will be finally pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a side View of a known cylinder with my improvements made a part thereof;

Figure 2 is .an end view;

Figure 3 is a partial section on line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4-. is a similar section of a modified form;

Figure 5 is a similar section of another modified form; and

Referring to the drawing, in Figure 1 is shownlq.

a standard and known form of dictation record of cylindrical form, indicated by N]. This is made of a mass II and fabric 12, as known and not claimed herein as new, per se.

At each end of the cylinder record [0, the improvement is applied. This consists in grinding or molding grooves 13, one at each end, circumferentially around the cylinder, to a depth slightly greater or equal to that depth which is shaved off the cylinder during the removal of the several recordings as they become obsolete. The width of the groove is very small. Estimated dimensions would be: Depth of normal cylinder 9 mm. depth of material normally shaved off 4 mm.; depth of groove about 5 mm., and width of groove about 2 mm.

Any breakage at the ends of the cylinder records. would, therefore, due to the presence of the grooves, only chip off parts of the remaining shoulder I4, and not the portion used for recording and transcription, and would also prevent the cylinder being cracked longitudinally.

As an embodiment of the same invention, a ring 15 of wire could be moulded in the cylinder to strengthen it against shocks, as shown in Figure 4, or a plate ring l6 such as shown in Figure 5. The reinforcing members may be of various kinds, the object of them being to avoid breakage of the shoulder M. The groove l3 need not be exactly on a meridian, it can have a sinuous or other formation, as; H, as shown in Figure 6. If desired, the shoulder [4 may be slotted as shown by IS in Figure 6.

It will be seen that the invention described and shown shows a phonograph or dictation rec- 0rd of cylindrical shape, having a bore throughout, in which a deep groove circumferentially around the cylinder separates a protecting shoulder from the body portion upon which body portion the inscription takes place, and which is shaved off so as to present a new surface for recording. width, and has a depth slightly deeper than the body portion to be shaved off. The width of each groove is less than the height of the groove in certain embodiments. Reinforcements means can be applied. The shoulders take up the shock and confine the effect of breakage, as the chipping caused thereby cannot jump the gap over the groove. The shoulder, if it is subjected to a The groove has a relatively small shock causing longitudinal cracking, further absorbs the strains and stresses, since such cracks cannot jump the gap provided by the groove and.

the inscription portion is maintained free from' such cracks.

It is obvious that various changes and modifications may be made in the details of construction and design of the above specifically described embodiments of this invention without departing from the spirit thereof, such changes and modifications being restricted only by the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a phonograph record adapted for use in dictation recordings, the combination of a cylindrical body member having an exterior recording surface and two shoulders, one at each end of the body member, which do not receive dictation recordings, but are, with the dictation recording surface, shaved after each recording to expose a new surface, said shoulders being a part of the mass of the body member and spaced from the body member by circumferential grooves extending from the exterior dictation surface to a depth Where the grooves will not be obliterated after the record has been shaved to such a depth as to render it unfit for further dictation uses, the width of each groove being smaller than its depth, said grooves and spaced shoulders preventing the passage of cracks, fissures and fractures resulting from shocks sustained by the shoulders to the dictation recording surface of the body member.

2. In a phonograph record adapted for use in dictation recordings, the combination of a cylindrical body member having an exterior recording surface and two shoulders, one at each end of the body member, which do not receive dictation recordings, but are, with the dictation recording surface, shaved after each recording to expose a new surface, said shoulders being a part of the mass of the body member and spaced from the body member by circumferential grooves extending from the exterior dictation surface to a depth where the grooves will not be obliterated after the record has been shaved to such a depth as to render it unfit for further dictation uses, the width of each groove being smaller than its depth, said grooves and spaced shoulders preventing the passage of cracks, fissures and fractures resulting from shocks sustained by the shoulders to the dictation recording surface of the body member, the grooves being circumferentially sinuous, with longitudinal grooves extending from said sinuous grooves to the outermost ends of the shoulders.

FRANK V. PAUL. 

